Today's workout simulates an advanced weightlifting technique with push-up variations. Drop sets involve decreasing the amount of weight being lifted while continuing to crank out sets with little or no rest.

We will use a similar technique by supersetting three different push-ups variations of decreasing difficulty. To be effective, each exercise needs to push you without burning you out early in the session. Today's workout is supposed to be hard, but you should not be in a state of collapse five minutes into the workout.

Choose a rep range that will challenge you while permitting you to continue performing push-ups at the easier variations. Try to keep the number of reps the same in each superset. You may diminish the number of reps per set as the workout continues. Try to rest only between supersets (i.e. perform all three variations, then rest, then repeat). The recommended rep ranges are only guidelines. Choose the number of reps that is appropriate for your current level of strength and conditioning.

(For example: An advanced trainee might perform 15 push-ups with his feet elevated high on a wall, immediately drop into a regular push-up position and crank out 15 more reps, then drop onto his knees and crank out 15 more reps.)Perform as many drop sets as possible in twenty minutes.

Perform a set of pull-ups or chin-ups at the top of every minute for twenty minutes. Intermediate and Basic trainees should substitute partial pull-ups, assisted pull-ups, and/or body rows as necessary.

If you are not accustomed to plyometric training or are obese, perform the Basic WOD.

Advanced:

12 Short Range Squat Jumps(Half-Squat Jumps: Squat until your elbows touch your knees and thighs are parallel to ground and then jump for height or distance)

12 Full Range Squat Jumps(Deep Squat Jumps: Squat deep until your hands touch the ground and then jump for height or distance)

20 High Tension Bodyweight Squats(Squat while maintaining conscious tension of the leg muscles)

Intermediate:

6 Short Range Squat Jumps

6 Full Range Squat Jumps

10 High Tension Bodyweight Squats

Basic:

5 Half-Squat Jumps

10 Lunges (Each leg)

10 Calf Raise and Flex

Are you tempted to cheat on the jump as your legs become tired? Try Traveling B-Circuits by jumping for distance instead of height. Try to cover the same total distance on each circuit as the workout progresses to ensure that you are pushing yourself adequately.

TIMED SETSToday's workout is ideal preparation for the PFT on the first Monday of every month.

Max Pull-ups in 1 minute

Max Pull-ups in 45 seconds

Max Pull-ups in 30 seconds

Max Pull-ups in 15 seconds

Max Sit-ups in 1 minute

Max Sit-ups in 45 seconds

Max Sit-ups in 30 seconds

Max Sit-ups in 15 seconds

Max Push-ups in 1 minute

Max Push-ups in 45 seconds

Max Push-ups in 30 seconds

Max Push-ups in 15 seconds

Insert one minute of rest between each set of exercises. Intermediate and Basic trainees should substitute (as necessary) Partial Pull-ups or Assisted Pull-ups or Body Rows for Regular Pull-ups, Crunches for Sit-ups, and Knee or Countertop PU for Regular Push-ups.

This is a challenging workout, but it is effective and very satisfying to complete. During the thirty seconds between sets of rope skipping you will complete a brief set of an additional exercise. Alternate sets of push-ups and squats so that you perform ten sets of each during the twenty minutes.

You do not have long to perform each set. You also will need extra time to transition from skipping to pushing or squatting and back again. Plan to keep the sets small (e.g. 5-20 reps) and allow ~5 seconds for the first transition and 5-10 seconds for the transition back to the rope. Start with sets of push-ups and squats smaller than you think you can handle. This is a conditioning drill, not a strength workout.

This does not have to be done at an all-out sprint. Find a rhythm and work from one exercise to the other.

The sprints are progressive. The first sprint begins at a jog and climaxes at 50% of maximum effort; the second sprint goes from 40% at the beginning to 60% at the climax; the third sprint goes from 50-70%; the fourth sprint from 60-80%; the fifth sprint from 70-90%; the sixth sprint reaches 95% of maximum effort; the seventh and eighth sprints are run at 95-100% effort.

If you are not accustomed to the type of sprint training we do around here, do not max out on the final three sprints - climax between 80-90% of maximum effort.

To perform a pyramid, begin by performing one rep of the chosen exercise, rest, then two reps, rest, then three reps, and so on until you reach the "top" of the pyramid. Then begin retracing the steps you took to reach that number (e.g. 10 reps, rest, 9 reps, rest, 8 reps, etc.). The "top" of the pyramid can either be predetermined (e.g. 5, 10, 15, 20 reps) or can be ascertained by the inability to complete the required number of reps for the next step (e.g. 6 reps, 7 reps, 5 reps - you missed a set). In either case, the trainee should stop building sets and "descend" the pyramid by performing decreasing sets of his/her chosen exercise.

For this WOD you should go by feel. We do not set predetermined numbers as goals on the TMFS blog, but if you have previous experience with burpees and know your limits, you may choose to do so. A better method will simply be to go by feel. If you are becoming very fatigued and are struggling to complete each set, stop increasing the reps and begin descending with the next exercise. If you complete the pyramid and have extra time left within the twenty minute time limit, go ahead and begin another pyramid until time expires.

During our workout today we will be using a more challenging exercise on the way "up" the pyramid and a less challenging exercise on the way "down." For example, an advanced trainee will perform sets of burpees (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) until he reaches the top, then he will perform squat thrusts on the way down (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, etc.).

How long should you rest? That is up to the individual. You know your level of conditioning. You should rest long enough to catch your breath and recover the strength to continue but not long enough for your heartrate to return entirely to normal levels (it should drop somewhat, however).

30 seconds: Leg Levers(Lie on your back with your legs straight and your hands under your hips to provide lower back support. Keeping your legs straight, raise them until your legs are at a 45 degree or greater angle. Lower them again but stop short of touching your feet to the floor. Repeat.)